ANS: Ditching INDIA bloc partner Congress, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress on Sunday announced 42 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, ensuring it is fighting a single-handed battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.
The announcement was made by TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, who is set to contest from the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat. He revealed the names of the candidates during a major rally held at Kolkata’s iconic Brigade Parade Ground, where Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of committing atrocities against the people of West Bengal.
In a dramatic gesture, Mamata Banerjee escorted the candidates on a long ramp walk at the rally, introducing them to the gathered crowd. She criticized the BJP for its actions in Bengal, stating, “After winning 18 seats in the last Lok Sabha election, they commenced their atrocities against the people of Bengal.” She also accused the BJP of seeking to stop legitimate funds for Bengal and questioned their inaction when women were ‘paraded naked on the streets of Manipur’.
Banerjee’s speech also touched upon the BJP’s alleged misuse of power, hinting at potential future raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the state. She criticized former Calcutta High Court Justice Abhijit Gangopadhay for joining the BJP after quitting his job, cautioning against the judiciary aligning with political parties.
In a notable move, the TMC fielded former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan from the Baharampur constituency, a stronghold of senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. This decision sets the stage for an intriguing electoral battle between Pathan and Chowdhury in the upcoming polls.